Un Lun Dun

Have you ever wondered what happens to unwanted items that get left on the curb? Sometimes they get picked up, but sometimes they end up in Parisn't, or Sans Francisco, or UnLondon. UnLondon is a land full of objects and technologies that are Mostly Obsolete in London and peopled by characters that aren't always human. In a land where giraffes are feared predators and words literally come alive, it isn't surprising that prophesies aren't always entirely correct. But someone has to save UnLondon from the Smog. Will a young girl, a half-ghost, a word-tailor, a bus conductor, and an empty carton of sour milk be able to get to Webminster Abbey in time to find the UnGun, or will their plans go up in smoke and feed the Smog? 

Mieville's imagination is  so charming that I found the book well worth the read just for the ideas introduced: extreme librarian bookaneers, trash can binjas, smog-possessed smombies. The characters are endearing as well and the way the book plays with the Prophesied Epic Quest trope is entertaining.  If you like word play and imaginative settings like in Alice in Wonderland or Phantom Tollbooth, give this one a try. 

Un Lun Dun by China Mieville  

Erica's Picks  
5th-8th
Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Humor

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